Folding chair



pril 18, 1933. M L TiNsLEY 1,904,891

FOLDING CHAIR Filed NOV. l1, 1931 bhv- INVENTOR ATTORN EYS MILTON L. TNSLEY, 'OIF` GRANTWOOD., NEW `JERSEY, ASSIGNOR-T'O FERGUSON Patented Apr. 18, 1933 UNITED.- s'rflcas.

PAT-ENT OFFICEv g BROTHERS MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY, .A CORPORA- 'rroN or NEW JERSEY u `ronnriver CHAIR Applicationnledl November 11, 1931. Serial No. 574,371.

My invention relates to folding chairs of the type in which the seat frame I folds against a combined back and rear leg frame and where the front leg frame folds against the seat frame. Y

The object of my invention is to provide novel means for ensuring the simultaneous fol-ding or unfolding movement of the seat and 'front leg frames and also to provide novel manually releasable means at the front of the chair for automatically locking the chair in its unfolded position, said means being strong and compact and also well concealed when the chair is in its unfolded position. Y,

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 represents a detail front view of my improved chair in its folded position;

Fig. 2 represents a vertical section through the same, taken in the plane of the line II-II of Fig. 1 looking inthe -direction of the arrows; and Y Fig. 3 represents a similar section with the chair in its unfolded position, the manually rele-asable locking means being shown in dot'- ted lines in its released position to kpermit the chair to -be folded.

The combined back and rear leg frame comprisesa back frame portion 1 and a rear leg frame portion 2. The seat frame 3 is herein shown as hinged at 4 tothe combined back and rear leg framev by the two side hinge straps v5, to fold upwardly against the seat and combined back and rear leg frame. The front leg frame 6 is hereinshown as hinged at 7 to the .seat frame 3 by two side hinge straps 8, to fold against the seat frame 3.

The lever means which I employ for ensuring the simultaneous folding or unfolding movement of the seat and front leg frames are constructed and arranged as follows:

A folding lever connects the seat and front leg frames upon opposite sides of their hinged connection, at each side ofthe chair,

which folding lever comprises upper and.

lower arms 9 and 10 hinged together at 11, the upper arm being hinged to the seat frame atl 12 and the lower army being hinged to the Y leg frame at 13.

yEach folding lever is positively folded and unfolded to positively fold and unfold the,

front leg frame as the seat frame is folded and unfolded. The means for accomplishing this result is herein shown as an operating `lever 14, the front end of which is hinged at 15 to the Lipper arm 9 of the folding lever and the rear end'of which is hinged at 16 tothe combined back and rear vleg frame at a point below the hinged connection 4 between the seat frame and the combined Vback and rear leg frames.

The manually releasable meanslwhich I employ for automatically locking the chair in its unfolded position is constructed and arranged as follows:

A hook 17 is mounted to rock on each of the hinged connections 7 between the front leg and seat frames, whichhook is actuated by' a spring 18 to automatically swing the hook into locking engagement with the pin 15 zwhich forms the hinged connection `between the upper arm 9 of the folding lever and the front end of the operating lever 14. A handle bar 19 extends transversely across the chair Vat its front within ther seat frame 3, said handle bar connecting the two hooks 17. One or more stops 20, in the present two stops, serve to limit the locking movement of said hooks. side'rails of the seat frame 3 are recessed,

as. shown at 21, to permit the free action ofl ment of the front leg frame. `In operation: its unfolded vposition and it isv desired tofold the levers which control ther folding move-` the chair, the handle' bar 19 is manually depressed, therebyV liftingthe hooks 17 to release them from 'their locking engagement with the pins 15. As `the seat vis lifted to fold the same, the actuating lever 14 will fold the arms of the foldinglever and thereby cause the foldingmovement of the front leg frame. `As thechar is unfolded, the unfold- Y ing movement of the seat frame will cause, through the actuatinglever'14 and the folding lever, the unfolding. movement of the front leg frame. As the chair reaches its-un- The inner faces of the When the chair is locked folded position the spring actuated hooks 17 Will again engage their pins 15 to lock the chair, thereby providing a rigid interconnection between therfront leg frame, the seat frame and the combined back and rear leg frame. Y

It is evident that various changes may be resorted to in the construction, form and arrangement of the several parts Without, de-

parting from the spirit and scope of my in- Y vention, and hence I do not intend to be limited to the particular embodiment herein shown and described.

IVhat I claim is:

1. In a folding chair. a combined back and rear leg frame, a seat frame hinged thereto, a front leg frame hinged to the seat frame, and means ensuring a simultaneous folding or unfolding movement of the seat and front leg frames, said means comprising a folding lever connecting the seat and front leg frames and a lever connecting the folding lever With the combined back and rear leg frame, and manually releasable means mounted at the front of the seat frame for locking the chair in its unfolded position.

n 2. In a folding chair, a combined back and rear leg frame, a seat frame hinged thereto, a front leg frame hinged to the seat frame, means ensuring a simultaneous folding` or unfolding movement of the sea-t and front leg frames, said means Comprising a folding lever connecting the seat and front leg frames and a lever connecting the folding lever With the combined back and rear leg frame, and manually releasable means for locking the chair in its unfolded position, said means comprising a pin on the folding lever and a spring actuated hook pivotedon the seat frame in position to engage said pin.

l. In a folding chair, a combined back and rear leg frame, a seat frame hinged thereto, a front leg frame hinged to the seat frame, means ensuring a simultaneous folding or unfolding movement of the seatand front leg frames, said means comprising a folding lever having upper and lower arms connect- Y ing the seat and front leg frames and a lever connecting the folding lever With the combined back and rear leg frame, and manually releasable means for locking the chair in its unfolded position, said means comprising a pin on the upper arm of the folding lever' and a spring actuated hook pivoted on the seat frame in position to engage said pin.

4. In a folding chair, a combined back and rear leg frame, a seat frame hinged thereto, a front leg frame hinged to the seat frame, means ensuring a simultaneous folding or unfolding movement of the seat and front leg frames, said means comprising a folding lever having upper and lovver arms connecting the seat and front leg frames and a lever connecting the folding lever with the comr bined back and rear leg frame, and manually releasable means for locking the chair in its unfolded position, said means comprising a pin on the upper arm of the folding lever and a spring actuated hook pivoted on the seat frame in position to engage 4said pin and a stop on the seat frame for limiting the locking movement of the hook. l

5. In afolding chair, a combined back and Y rear leg frame, a seat frame hinged thereto, a` front leg frame hinged to the seat frame,a deviceV at each side of the chair ensuring a simultaneous folding or unfolding movement of the seat and front leg frames, each of said devices comprising a folding lever having upper and lovver armsl connectingfthe seat and front leg frames and a lever connecting the folding lever With-the combined hack and rear leg frame, and: manually releasable means for locking the chair in its unfolded position, said means comprising a pin -on the upper arm of each folding lever-.and spring actuated hooks pivoted on' the seat frame in position to engage said pins, said hooks having a connecting handle bar for manipulating them simultaneously.

, 6. In a folding chair, a combined back and rear leg frame, a seat frame hinged thereto, a front leg frame hinged to the seat frame, a device at each side of the chair ensuring a si. multaneous folding or unf-olding movement of the seat and front leg frames, each of said devices comprising a folding lever having upper and lower arms connecting the seat and front leg frames and a lever connecting the folding lever With the combined back and rear leg frame, andv manually releasable means for locking the chair in its unfolded position, said means Comprising a pin .On the upper arm of each folding lever and spring actuated hooks pivoted on the seat frame in position to engagesaid pins, said hooks having a connecting handle bar for manipulating them simultaneously and means normally engaging said handle bar for limiting the locking movement of the hooks.

In testimony, that I claimii the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my namethis 7 day. of November 1931-.

MILTON L. TINSLEY. 'I 

